Adaptive control programs for a surgical system comprising more than one type of cartridge

Abstract

A surgical suturing system is disclosed. The surgical suturing system comprises a shaft, a firing drive comprising a motor, and an end effector extending distally from the shaft. The end effector comprises a needle driver configured to be actuated by the motor, wherein the needle driver is configured to drive a needle installed within the end effector. The end effector further comprises a needle track configured to guide the needle installed within the end effector through a needle firing stroke, wherein the end effector is configured to accommodate suturing needles having different sizes. The surgical suturing system further comprises a control circuit configured to sense the size of the suturing needle installed within the end effector and adjust the actuation stroke of the motor to accommodate the size of the needle installed within the end effector.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A surgical suturing system, comprising:
 a shaft; 
 a firing drive comprising a motor; 
 an end effector extending distally from said shaft, wherein said end effector comprises:
 a needle driver configured to be actuated by said motor, wherein said needle driver is configured to drive a needle installed within said end effector; and 
 a needle track configured to guide the needle installed within said end effector through a rotary needle firing stroke, wherein said end effector is configured to accommodate suturing needles having different sizes; and 
 
 a control circuit configured to:
 sense the size of the suturing needle installed within said end effector; and 
 adjust an actuation stroke of said motor to accommodate the size of the suturing needle installed within said end effector, 
 
 wherein said control circuit is configured to adjust the actuation stroke by changing a motor speed to: 
 a first speed based on sensing a first needle diameter; and 
 a second speed based on sensing a second needle diameter, wherein the first needle diameter is different than the second needle diameter, and wherein the first speed is different than the second speed. 
 
     
     
       2. The surgical suturing system of  claim 1 , wherein said control circuit is further configured to indicate to a user the size of the needle installed within said end effector. 
     
     
       3. The surgical suturing system of  claim 1 , wherein said end effector is configured to accommodate suturing needles having different diameters. 
     
     
       4. The surgical suturing system of  claim 1 , wherein said end effector is configured to accommodate suturing needles having different circumference lengths. 
     
     
       5. The surgical suturing system of  claim 1 , wherein said control circuit is configured to adjust the actuation stroke by changing the amount of revolutions that the motor turns during the rotary needle firing stroke. 
     
     
       6. The surgical suturing system of  claim 1 , wherein said control circuit is configured to accommodate suturing needles having different lengths. 
     
     
       7. The surgical suturing system of  claim 1 , wherein said control circuit is configured to adjust the actuation stroke by adjusting a length of a stroke path of the rotary needle firing stroke. 
     
     
       8. The surgical suturing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first needle diameter is larger than the second needle diameter, and wherein the first speed is slower than the second speed. 
     
     
       9. A surgical suturing system, comprising:
 a shaft; 
 a firing drive comprising a motor; 
 an end effector extending distally from said shaft, wherein said end effector comprises:
 a needle driver configured to be actuated by said motor, wherein said needle driver is configured to drive a needle installed within said end effector; and 
 a needle track configured to guide the needle installed within said end effector through a rotary needle firing stroke, wherein said end effector is configured to accommodate suturing needles having different sizes; and 
 
 a control circuit configured to:
 sense the size of the suturing needle installed within said end effector; and 
 adjust an actuation stroke of said motor to accommodate the size of the suturing needle installed within said end effector, 
 
 wherein said control circuit is configured to adjust the actuation stroke by adjusting a stroke path of the suturing needle to: 
 a first stroke path based on sensing a first circumference length of the suturing needle; and 
 a second stroke path based on sensing a second circumference length of the suturing needle, wherein the first circumference length is different than the second circumference length, and wherein the first stroke path is different than the second stroke path. 
 
     
     
       10. The surgical suturing system of  claim 9 , wherein the first circumference length is longer than the second circumference length, and wherein the first stroke path is shorter than the second stroke path. 
     
     
       11. A surgical suturing system, comprising:
 a shaft; 
 a firing drive; and 
 an end effector extending distally from said shaft, wherein said end effector comprises:
 a needle driver configured to be actuated by said firing drive, wherein said needle driver is configured to drive a needle installed within said end effector; and 
 a needle track configured to guide the needle installed within said end effector through a rotary needle firing stroke, 
 wherein said end effector is configured to receive suturing needles having different circumference lengths, and wherein said surgical suturing system further comprises a control circuit configured to:
 sense the circumference length of the suturing needle installed within said end effector; and 
 adjust an actuation stroke of said needle driver to accommodate the circumference length of the suturing needle installed within said end effector, 
 
 
 wherein said control circuit is configured to adjust the actuation stroke by adjusting a stroke length to: 
 a first stroke length based on sensing a first circumference length of the suturing needle; and 
 a second stroke length based on sensing a second circumference length of the suturing needle, wherein the first circumference length is different than the second circumference length, and wherein the first stroke length is different than the second stroke length. 
 
     
     
       12. The surgical suturing system of  claim 11 , wherein said control circuit is further configured to indicate to a user the circumference length of the needle installed within said end effector. 
     
     
       13. The surgical suturing system of  claim 11 , wherein said control circuit is configured to adjust the actuation stroke by changing a motor speed. 
     
     
       14. The surgical suturing system of  claim 11 , wherein said control circuit is configured to adjust the actuation stroke by changing the amount of revolutions that a motor turns during a needle firing stroke. 
     
     
       15. A surgical instrument configured to apply a suture to the tissue of a patient, comprising:
 an end effector, comprising:
 a replaceable suture cartridge comprising a suture removably stored therein; and 
 an actuator configured to deploy said suture; 
 
 a lockout configurable in a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, wherein said lockout is in said locked configuration when said replaceable suture cartridge is not in said end effector, wherein said lockout prevents said actuator from being actuated when said lockout is in said locked configuration, wherein said lockout is in said unlocked configuration when said replaceable suture cartridge is positioned in said end effector, and wherein said lockout permits said actuator to deploy said suture when said lockout is in said unlocked configuration; 
 a handle; 
 an electric motor configured to drive said actuator; 
 a control circuit configured to control said electric motor; and 
 a sensing system configured to determine when said lockout is in said locked configuration, wherein said sensing system is in communication with said control circuit, and wherein said actuator is prevented from being actuated when said sensing system determines that said lockout is in said locked configuration, 
 wherein said lockout is in the unlocked configuration upon installation of said replaceable suture cartridge when said replaceable suture cartridge is partially expended. 
 
     
     
       16. The surgical instrument of  claim 15 , wherein said control circuit prevents the actuation of said electric motor when said sensing system determines that said lockout is in said locked configuration. 
     
     
       17. The surgical instrument of  claim 15 , wherein said control circuit provides haptic feedback to the user of the surgical instrument when said sensing system determines that said lockout is in said locked configuration. 
     
     
       18. The surgical instrument of  claim 15 , wherein said lockout is in said unlocked configuration when said replaceable suture cartridge is positioned in said end effector and said replaceable suture cartridge has not been completely expended.